CUDDALORE: Ever since the Tamil Nadu Government announced its flood relief package, road rokos have become common in Cuddalore district. Despite the official claim that Rs. 35 crore has already been disbursed as relief, there are complaints that the "genuinely affected" are left out.

With every passing day, the protests are intensifying. On Monday, traffic was disrupted at eight places in Cuddalore, and at two places in Villupuram.

The complaint of the protesters is that while the affluent residing in pucca houses are benefited, daily wage earners living in ramshackle dwellings are neglected.

They are flocking the taluk offices and municipalities to make representations and women Self-Help Groups too have taken up their cause. Political parties are also reportedly stoking the fires.

There is also a widespread opinion that the "substantial relief package" that includes Rs. 1,000 (for partly damaged huts), Rs. 2,000 (fully damaged huts), along with 10 kg of rice, one litre of kerosene and a dhoti and saree set, prompts many to seek relief, affected or not.

What is termed as an "Inundation G.O." in official parlance stipulates four conditions to be eligible for relief: residents of areas that remained inundated for 24 hours, or where food packets were distributed, or marooned and cut off from the rest of the district, or wherever people were evacuated to safety.

The problem is that when an entire village or area is declared flood-hit, comparatively well-off people too become eligible. This is hard to reconcile for the really poor, prompting them to take to the streets.

There are others who since the road links were cut off for days together, they could not earn their livelihood, and hence, they should also be included in the beneficiary list.

District Collector Gagandeep Singh Bedi said that based on the government stipulations the district administration had determined the flood-hit areas. On receiving new representations, the newly formed high-level committee was making physical verifications.

Mr Bedi said he was reviewing the situation daily, and disbursement of relief had been almost completed in Chidambaram town; in other places it would be accomplished within this week.

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